The anti-Israel Uncommitted National Movement declined to endorse Democratic nominee Kamala Harris for president and called on fellow Democrats to push for an Israeli arms embargo and an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
“Harris’s unwillingness to shift on unconditional weapons policy or to even make a clear campaign statement in support of upholding existing U.S. and international human rights laws has made it impossible for us to endorse her,” the Michigan-based group wrote in a Thursday statement, just hours before Harris plans to campaign in the Great Lake State.
Withholding its endorsement of Harris, the Uncommitted National Movement instead urged Democrats to build “on the work of ‘Uncommitted’” to further turn the party against Israel.
“We invite stakeholders in the Democratic Party coalition—progressives, civil rights, labor, racial justice, reproductive rights, climate, immigrant rights, disability justice, people of faith, young people and more—to join us in our campaign to push our Democratic Party leadership to … support the urgent call for a stop to illegal and morally reprehensible weapons transfers.”
The “uncommitted” movement began in Michigan in February as a protest of President Joe Biden’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas terrorists. The group descended on the Democratic National Convention last month, staging a sit-in after the party denied a Palestinian American a speaking slot at the convention.
The group said that, in order to win their endorsement, Harris must “meet with Palestinian American families in Michigan” to discuss “a permanent ceasefire” by Sept. 15, which she failed to do.
The group did not endorse any other presidential candidate and cautioned its followers against voting for a third party, which could “inadvertently deliver a Trump presidency.”
In its statement, the coalition also slammed Harris’s endorsement from former Republican vice president Dick Cheney.
“Now, the Vice President’s campaign is courting Dick Cheney while sidelining disillusioned anti-war voices, pushing them to consider third-party options or to sit this important election out,” the statement reads.
In the Michigan Democratic primary election, 13 percent voted “uncommitted.” The coalition grew across state lines, sending 30 “uncommitted” delegates from various states to the DNC last month.
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